Volume No. 2 Issue No. 36 - Thursday April 24, 2008
Three wise men
 By Judge Irving Andre (Reprinted from the New Chronicle)
Patriotism is the sensitive measure of a citizen�s emotional attachment to his or her island or country. It is not something which is easily measured but is manifested in myriad ways.
Whether it is standing at attention at the first strains of the national anthem, giving one�s time and efforts with no expectation of reward, toiling in the vineyard with little fanfare, or in the case of migrants, supporting, in every way possible, family, friends and compatriots in one�s homeland, few have not felt the pull of patriotism.
In recent years, the word �Diaspora� has gained significant currency in the national consciousness, largely through the efforts of a few key individuals. The spirit of giving however, had animated Dominicans abroad for decades. Dominicans in Panama in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, others in the Dominican Republic, Curacao and Aruba in the first half of the twentieth century, and those in Guadeloupe, the Virgin Islands and other Caribbean Islands have made significant contributions to the island they left behind.
These have merely increased with technological advances that make it easier for Dominicans abroad to maintain close contact with their homeland.
While the term �Dominicans in the Diaspora� is of recent vintage, it draws sustenance from the efforts of groups and individuals worldwide. Some of these are better known than others.
They include DARDA in New York, the Commonwealth Association of Dominicans in Ontario, the Dominican Association in Montreal, and others in Miami, London and Boston.
In recent years, the Dominican Association of Arts and Sciences (DAAS) has been at the forefront of fundraising and development initiatives. The DAAS website highlights the prodigious efforts of expatriate Dominicans.
Its leadership, with members such as Sir Raglan Riviere, Dr. Clayton Shillingford, attorney Gabriel Christian and IMF economist Dr. Thomson Fontaine have plunged themselves in virtually every facet of Dominican life without reservation.
In so doing, they have shifted the paradigm from one characterised by a long distance association with Dominica to a close interaction and involvement with the island�s myriad problems.
Dr. Clayton Shillingford best exemplifies this interactive approach, undeterred by detractors. Whether on De Heng, Q95, on the Freedom Party Programme on Q95 or on the former late night show, Dr. Shillingford has challenged its major stakeholders with incisive comments and analyses about issues related to development.
Gabriel Christian has similarly spearheaded a number of Green initiatives ranging from the revival of the Cadet Corps, to promoting and sponsoring initiatives in the food and energy sectors.
He has also authored a well regarded book of short stories and co-authored three others, In Search of Eden, Death by Fire and the soon to be published, The Strength and Sacrifice of the Dominican Soldier.
Dr. Fontaine has similarly invested a significant amount of his intellectual capital on the island including his well received internet publication,TheDominican.net.
And yet local attitudes towards these persons and others are reminiscent of the plight of the prodigal. Much of their efforts have been appreciated and even lauded. But an uneasiness persists.
In many respects, there is a great divide between the world of the expatriate and their local counterparts. It is a world of two solitudes.
Much of this is due to misunderstanding and suspicion on both sides of the divide. Many expatriates complain of unfair treatment, of being regarded as cash cows; of being treated dismissively by local power brokers.
They decry the view that they left their less fortunate brethren struggling on Dominica while they enjoyed the milk and honey abroad.
On the other hand, Dominicans often complain about the perceived aloofness of many of their foreign based counterparts; their seeming arrogance and their know-it-all attitude. They lament the superior attitude which often finds expression in gaudy jewellery, flamboyant clothing and an affected accent.
They resent being bombarded by a litany of complaints about how bad things as in Dominica. They detest being treated as inferior. One local explained, with justifiable indignation, how a foreign based Dominican, newly arrived at the airport, asked him accusingly:
�Where is my suitcase I was have there?�
These however, are petty irritants, matters of little consequence that should not limit the significant benefits to be reaped by a warm embrace and welcoming mat for expatriates. Like it or not, Dominicans abroad are Dominica�s lifeblood. They do not need much encouragement to spend, unlike the intransit tourist.
In many cases, all they seek is a sense of welcome. Sometimes a smile or being charged the same price as that quoted to the local Dominican is all they need to open their thickly wadded wallets.
Many would love to build but shy away with horror at tales of graft and dispossession. They would love to patronise local fare, but many recoil at evidence of poor service and a hostile reception. Many reminisce that even in race ravaged America, the store clerk treats the customer as if his or life depended on it.
Dr. Shillingford, Mr. Christian and Dr. Fontaine and many others have sought to bridge this great divide which continues to frustrate Dominica�s development. We don�t have to support all their views.
Or have the same political allegiances that they have. But we should all hope they succeed. For the island�s sake, I hope they do. And if this year is not the most opportune time for this success, I don�t know which one is.
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